amv suggestions?

[kaigou]

Can anyone name a good AMV (decent to better quality) that would work as an introduction to the range of animation styles in anime? Nostromo's AMVs are definitely high-quality, but Nostromo also seems to focus very strongly on female characters, and I'm thinking something more balanced might be better. It's Tricky To Make A Music Video would definitely be a classic, but its quality is a little low (in terms of what I can download) and the music might be a bit too dated for a classroom. Besides, there's got to be more out there, now, that would have a range of as many diverse videos as ITTMAMV does.

Any suggestions?

Comments

[nagasvoice]

Not sure at all if these are AMV or not, but I was thinking there is a nice range between the animated series Last Airbender and the Studio Ghibli movies, although the intended audience is roughly the same.

[kaigou]

That's actually a very small range (not to mention AtLA isn't technically anime, being produced/released for US audiences) -- stylistically, it doesn't include wacky styles like what you'd see in Bakemonogatari or Durarara or Samurai Champloo or even classic animation styles like what you see coming out of Sunrise, Gonzo, or Geneon house styles. I've come across a few AMVs that really run the gamut (including "The Opening Segment Of Every Anime Ever Made" but that's probably just a passel of in-jokes and not so good as introduction)... ehehe.

[nagasvoice]

Well, as I don't know most of those (no expert!) it's interesting to hear about them. I think I've seen some Samurai Champloo, at a convention, late, when I'd gone without sleep for 3 days...
Anyway, I also recall thinking when I saw some Vampire Hunter D on Cartoon Network while housesitting--again very late, though with more sleep--I recall thinking that was also different.

[kaigou]

Heh, Vampire Hunter D's animation style is positively archaic by now. Screams 80's, if you ask me. There's an incredible range of anime styles now, going in all sorts of directions.

Not sure which one CP will pick, but "Live" and "Good, Good Year" are both well-done:

http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members/members_videoinfo.php?vid_id=171292
http://www.animemusicvideos.org/members/members_videoinfo.php?vid_id=179057

[i_paint_the_sky]

Not sure if this would work but it was what popped into my head first: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibPCLMH1NM4

[kaigou]

AHAHAHA. Yeah, I've got that one -- just not sure if it'd work in a classroom setting, as introduction, because (my guess is) it's filled with in-jokes. As in, it's really only something you get if you've seen a ton of anime, in which case the vid works to remind you of how many times you've seen the same tropes. I'm not sure if it'd be boring to someone who hasn't seen a lot of openings. Y'know, just a lot of people running, then a lot of people turning around... ehehe.

[i_paint_the_sky]

Yeah, that's obviously the main obstacle. It does have a lot of different styles in it though - plus good animation quality, since it's all opening footage.

[kaigou]

Very true about the quality, definitely -- will run it past CP, see what he thinks, in comparison to the other options I'm dredging up.

[jakfrost]

I've got a whole folder filled with mixed AMVs.

Are you looking more for a variety of character and background designs or the actual animations and motions? That will determine my recs.

[kaigou]

I'd say character/background designs -- something that shows the range of animation/illustration styles now available. (That is, that not all anime looks like redone Sailor Moon or the Sunrise/Bandai drawing style.)

[jakfrost]

Most of these have a strong element of humor to them. Hope that's ok.
Title link is for a streaming site and the editor link is for a download at amvs.org.

Pride vs. The Cows By: Katrina

One Anime Week By: Alicia-chan

The Chibi Things (That Kill) By: Nappy

Anime Couch Potato By: Chief Gooley

[kaigou]

Thanks! I've seen Chibi Things and Pride vs The Cows, but not the other two -- and One Anime Week looks like a good one for general introduction (without music that's too jarring or idiosyncratic, since it is for a classroom). Much appreciated!

[jakfrost]

Anytime! Love sharing fandom finds!

[khana]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLYuGGu-Hq4

the race, by istiv?
it is mainly shounen-series, though, so maybe the breadth isn't as wide as you're looking for?

[kaigou]

I'll put it on the list! Final decision is what CP thinks will work for his class, though I'd probably argue against something like that, because if you don't realize all the characters are from different anime, it might confuse you. If I didn't recognize everyone, that is, I might get the impression that anime will have wildly divergent styles within the same series. Uhhhhh... I don't know! It's been so long since I could look with a newcomer's eyes...

[khana]

you are probably right, i didn't think of how it could look as if the footage is all original, not cut together. probably a bad choice, then. (i'm still impressed by it, though.)

[tiercel]

I've always been deeply fond of this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDUBOU3Q5dg

... but I don't know if it's really an introductory video. Also, it helps if you've seen the original Van Halen video.

I think the problem here is going to be that most good AMVs are going to stick to at least a single theme, which usually leads to a single show or genre.

[kaigou]

That is an absolute classic. I've got a HD copy of it, I think, so it's one of the options. And I think it could work, but it's also about six years old, so it doesn't really show the quality levels that anime's taken (especially when it comes to mixing CGI) in recent years. Hmmm.